C2 drum brakes

[Steve D.]

Each shoe has a pin and spring that hold the center of the shoe to the backing plate. These two springs are very slightly different in appearance. On one, all of the coils are the same diameter. On the other, the bottom coils are slightly smaller. I assume that one is for the front shoe and one is for the back shoe. Which is which, and why is there a difference?

Steve

[Tracy C.]

Re: C2 drum brakes

Steve,

The spring that has constant coil diameter will nest inside the retainer the brake adjuster lever pivots on. This is the rear shoe.

Not sure why the coil diameter on other spring tapers down, but it fits on the front shoe.

good luck with your brake job.
tc

[Steve D.]

One other Question

Tracy

Thanks. One other question that I should have included; is there a thin gasket that goes between the back side of the front backing plate and the face of the spindle assembly? When I disassembled mine, one side had one and the other one didn't. The AIM doesn't address it, I don't see a reference to one in my shop manual and haven't seen one in any of the parts catalogs. So I'm still scratching my head. Disassembly was a long time ago, so I don't remember if the side without the gasket was leaking bearing grease or not.

Steve

[Michael H.]

Re: One other Question

Steve,

The parts book calls for a gasket between the spindle and the brake backing plate. It was part number 3828581 in group 5.002 but is not available today. There is a possibility that the number may have been changed in later years but I'd guess that's not the case. I don't have a current parts book so I can't look it up but maybe Joe Lucia has one. I don't think anyone knows parts and part numbers as well as he does.

I'm not 100% sure but I seem to remember these being stamped out of thin sheets of cork. If that's the case, they could be made if their not available from GM under a new part number.

Michael

[Steve D.]

Re: One other Question

Michael

Thanks. I have some thin sheets, so I can make acouple.

Steve